Dust and dirt cap



C. J. PUGH.

DUST AND DIRT CAP."

kPPLICATlON FILED MAR. 12, 1921.

Patented Sept. 27, 1921.

. "I 4 ii!!! rilllllil'di! A mh M e U M 3 m H e h E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER J. PUGH, F IDA, LOUISIANA.

nus'r AND DIRT cAr.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 2'7, 1921- Application filed March 12, 1921. Serial No. 451,850.

' protectors for bearings especially of the type employed for the spindle bolts of steering knuckles, and is an improvement on my allowed application filed May 17 1920, Serial N 0. 882,060 and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel means for absolutely precluding the seeping of all foreign matter between the cap and the part of the steering knuckle engaged by the cap, so as to preclude all possibility of dirt and the like gaining access to the bearing of the spindle bolt. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel means for holding the improved dust and dirt cap in position on the axle ends, said means for holding the cap in position also forming means for forcing the dust excluding means into intimate engagement with the various parts of the axle end.

'With these and other objects in View, the

' invention consists in the novel arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed and illustratedin the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which: I

Figure 1 is a detail fragmentary sectional view of one end of the front axle of a motor vehicle showing the steering knuckle attached thereto and the improved dirt and dust cap in position, the cap also belng shown in section for illustrating the novel attaching and dust excluding means carried thereby.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the improved dust cap holding means and the dust excluding means in operative position.

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the novel holding means and dust excluding means in inoperative position for permitting the easy and convenient removal or placing of the cap on or off the axle ends, and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the dust cap with the novel attaching and dust exs ad ng mea s i p e there ith V Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A indicates the front motorvehicle axle having the usual forked terminal B for the reception ofthe steering knuckle C. 'The steering knuckle and the fork Bpreceives in the usual manner, the splndle bolt D and the bushing E. The

spindle bolt D is provided with the usual oil cup F which is provided with the usual sprlng pressed cap G. This cap G is provlded wlth a fiat top as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The forked end of the axle A includes the upper arm H and the lower arm I and the arms engage the upper andlower ends respectively of the steering knuckle C.

The improved dust cap J isadapted to fit over the oil cup I and the upper end of the spindle bolt D and to engage the upper arm H of the fork B. The dust cap J may be of any desired material, such as sheet metal or the like, and includes the upper oval shaped wall 5, a depending vertical end wall 6, an 1ncl1ned transversely curved end wall 7, and side walls 8. These side walls 8 are gradually flared toward their lower end and incline inwardly from the endwall 6 toward the end wall 7. It is also preferred that the end wall 6 be curved arcuately so as to conform to the transverse curvature of th spindle bolt D. The wall 7 is'also inclined so as to dcgpform to the inclination of the forked en In order to preclude thepossibility of dust and the like seeping into the oil cup F, an annular felt pad 9 is provided. This felt pad 9 is secured to the inner surface of the upper wall 5 in any preferred manner, such as by glue, rivets or the like, and is adapted to surround the upper wall or cap G and to frictionally engage theouter surface of the cup F. p

' In order to provide a tight fit between the walls of the cap J and the sides of the fork B and the knuckle O, a felt strip or the like 11 is provided. This felt strip is of suflicient thickness to be forced into intimate contact with the outer surface of the fork'B and the knuckle C. As shown this strip is di-. vided into an inner and outer section 12 and 13 respectively. The innersection 12 is sh ped t Qnform to th g n cbnfigura';

tion of the fork B, while the section 13 is shaped to conform to the general configuration of the knuckle C. These two sections may be arranged in spaced relation to each other and are adapted to receive therebe-' tween the dust excluder 14, which includes the felt pad 15, and the metal carrier 16. This pad 15 may have one side thereof shaped to conform to the fork B while its opposite side is shaped to conform to the knuckle C and to the section 13 and these surfaces designated by the numeral 17 form substantially a circular opening for entirely surrounding the knuckle C. The metal carrier 16 may be formed in any preferred manner and as shown the same consists of a single strip of metal bent around the felt pad 15, and one end of the same is'provided with a resilient catch 18 forengaging one side wall 8 of the .cap J. The inner surface of the carrier 16 adjacent to the opposite end of the spring catch 18 is provided with upstanding ears 19 to which is adapted to be pivoted the lower end of the resilient leaf spring 20., The upper end of the leaf spring 20 is riveted or otherwise secured to the opposite end wall as at 21. The spring 20 is bowed intermediate its ends to provide a resilient shoulder 22 for engaging under the upper arm H of the fork B. The dust excluder 14 operates somewhat in the nature of a cam lever, and it can be seen that when the same isin the position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 20 is flexed and forced into tight engagement with the upper arm H of the fork B and when the dustexcluder 14: is moved to its inoperative position the spring is moved slightly away from the arm H. This permitsthe convenient. and 6X1 peditious removal orplacing of the cap J upon the oil cup. Y

In use of the improved device, the dust excluder 14 is moved tola position shown in Fig; 3 in substantially parallel relation toone top wall 5 and the cap isthen pushed down upon the cup F, spindle D and fork B. After the same has moved into position the excluder 14 is moved to a substantially horizontal position, and the spring clip 18 into'contact withthe opposite end wall 8. This excluder fills up the space intermediate the fork B and the knuckle C and absolutely precludes the possibility of dust seeping into the cap and then around the bearing for the knuckle and bolt D. Further the moving of the dust excluder to its operative position forces the spring 20 into tight engagement with the arm H and absolutely prevents the possibility of the cap being accidentally displaced off of the fork B and spindle bolt D. From the foregoing description, it can be seen that means has been provided for forming the cap absolutely dust tight and for preventing the accidental displacement thereof from its operative position,

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention; but,

1: claim:

l. A dust protector arranged to house the upper end of a spindle bolt, and the upper end of the forked terminal of the front "steering knuckle of motor vehicles comprising a housing, a spring catch adapted to detachably hold the housing in position against accidental displacement, and means for moving the catch into operative or inoperative position. v I Y 2. i-i dust protector for front axle ends comprising a housing adapted to engage the upper end of the spindle bolt and the upper end of the forked terminal of a front steering knuckle of motorvvehicles, a leaf spring carried by the housing .forengaging the steering knuckle, and a dust excluding member carried by the'cap and arranged for moving the spring into and out of frictional contact with the steering knuckle. 3. A dust protector for front axle ends comprising a housing having an upper wall and depending side and end walls, the lower ends of the depending side and end walls being adapted to. snugly engage the outer surface of the upper arm of the. fork of the axle end and the knuckleand a pivoted dust excluding member carried by the cap adapted to engage theinner surface of the fork and knuckle. r

1; A dust protector for housing the upper end of a spindle bolt and the upper end of a front steering knuckle of a motor vehicle ceinprising a housing including end walls 1'0 o e ging the outer faces of the knuckle and pindle bolt, and a dust excluding member disposed intermediate the end .walls for ging the innei;,;-;faces of'the bolt and ng knuckle.- 7

V walls, and. a dust excluding plate hingedly secured to the lower." end of aid spring adapted to extend transversely across the housing in spaced relation to the end walls thereof. Y

. 7 A dust and dirt cap for the front axle ends ofniotorvehicles comprising an upper wall, depending side walls, a spring secured at its upper end to the, inner surface of one of the side walls, a transversely extending dust excluding member hingedly connecting the lower end of the spring and adapted to engage the inner faces of the side Walls.

8. A dust and dirt cap for the front axle ends of motor vehicles comprising an upper Wall, depending side and end Walls, a leaf spring secured at its upper end to the inner surface of one of the side Walls arranged to frictionally engage the forked end of the axle a transversely extending plate a felt and a spring clip carried by the opposite end of the plate from the pivot ears for en-' ga 'ing the lower edge of one of the side we 1s.

CHESTER J. PUGI-I. 

